# Ulugh Beg Observatory, Samarkand > The Ulugh Beg Observatory is what remains of a 15th-century star tower on Kohak hill, 4 km north-east of the Registan: a deep underground sextant arc and a small museum. Allow **45 minutes to an hour**. Entry for foreigners is unofficially **UZS 40,000–75,000**, and the site is open roughly 9:00–18:00 daily. There is no tower left — you come for the arc and the story, ideally with a guide. Web page: https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/samarkand/ulugh-beg-observatory - City: [Samarkand](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/samarkand), Uzbekistan - YesGo score: 40/100 (Yes, if nearby) - Time on site: 45 min - With kids: Fine with kids - Foreigner ticket: UZS 40,000–75,000 — unofficial, confirm at the desk - Ticket covers: The underground arc and the museum - Hours: Daily, about 9:00–18:00; may close earlier in winter - Payment: Bring som in cash — the card terminal isn’t always working - Time needed: 45 minutes to 1 hour; up to 1.5 hours with a guide - Address: Toshkent yoʻli (Tashkent Road), Kohak hill, north-east Samarkand - Getting there: About 4 km from the Registan: 10 minutes by taxi, around 50 on foot - Bus stop: Ulugʻbek rasadxonasi, on Tashkent Road - Coordinates: 39.67472, 67.00556 - Facts checked: 30.10.2026 ## Key facts - **≈ 40 m** — radius of the main instrument’s arc — the largest of its kind in its day (source: English Wikipedia (40.04 m); Russian Wikipedia (40.21 m); Eurasia Travel (40.212 m)) - **1420s** — when Ulugh Beg, Timur’s grandson, built the observatory (source: English and Russian Wikipedia; Orexca; Tonkosti) - **1908** — year archaeologist Vasily Vyatkin found the remains (source: English and Russian Wikipedia; Nomad's Land) - **3 storeys** — in the round tower, about 46 m across and 30 m tall (source: English and Russian Wikipedia; Eurasia Travel; Tonkosti) - **≈ 1,000 stars** — in the Zij-i Sultani catalogue, finished in 1437 (source: English Wikipedia (about 1,000); Russian Wikipedia (1,018); MacTutor (992)) - **1449** — Ulugh Beg was killed; the observatory declined after his death (source: English Wikipedia; MacTutor) - **≈ 70 cm** — of arc per degree, which made very fine readings possible (source: English Wikipedia (70.2 cm); Russian Wikipedia (70 cm)) - **Shah Rukh** — Ulugh Beg’s father, Timur’s son, who gave him Samarkand in 1409 (source: MacTutor; English Wikipedia) - **Late 16th century** — the tower was pulled down for bricks; only the underground part survived (source: Russian Wikipedia; Orexca) - **365 d 6 h 10 min 8 s** — Ulugh Beg’s sidereal year — less than a minute off (source: Russian Wikipedia; Eurasia Travel; Nomad's Land) > **Don’t expect a tower** What survives is the lower stretch of the sextant arc, cut into the rock, plus the foundations. Without context it looks like a marble-lined trench, so read the history below or bring a guide. Prices and hours are not officially published — treat them as unofficial and check at the ticket desk. ## Ulugh Beg Observatory tickets and opening hours There is no published official fare. Unofficially, foreign visitors pay **UZS 40,000–75,000**: Saiga Tours quoted 40,000 in summer 2025, while the Eurasia Travel forum gave 75,000 in winter 2025/26. Samarkand raised monument prices sharply, so budget for the higher figure. One ticket normally covers both the underground arc and the museum. There is no combined pass for Samarkand’s sights — each has its own ticket desk. Cards are taken more and more, but terminals fail, so carry Uzbek som in small notes. Unofficially, the site opens **daily from about 9:00 to 18:00**, possibly closing earlier in winter. One guide lists the museum as closed on Sundays, so check ahead if that is your day. Go in the morning: the hilltop has little shade and summer afternoons are hot. ## Is the Ulugh Beg Observatory worth visiting? Yes, if you have a second day in Samarkand or care about the history of science. It is not a showpiece like the [Registan](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/samarkand/registan) or [Shah-i-Zinda](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/samarkand/shah-i-zinda) — there are no tiled domes here, just an arc in the ground and a modest museum. What makes it worth the trip is the scale of the idea. In the 1420s a ruler built a three-storey instrument to measure the sky, and his team produced a catalogue of about a thousand stars and a year length less than a minute off. Once you know that, the trench stops looking like a trench. If you only have one day in the city, skip it. If you have two, pair it with Afrasiab and the Tomb of Daniel — all three sit close together in the north of town. ## What to see at the observatory - **The sextant arc** — two marble-faced rails curving down into the rock along the meridian. Walk down the steps and look at the scale to get a feel for the size of the full instrument. - **The tower’s foundations** — the circle on top of the hill shows how big the building was: roughly 46 metres across. - **The museum** — copies of pages from the Zij, photos from Vyatkin’s excavation, models of the observatory and old astronomical instruments. - Murals of Ulugh Beg’s life, portraits of his astronomers Qadi Zada al-Rumi and Ali Qushji, and coins from his reign. - A map of the Timurid empire and a copy of a 17th-century engraving showing Ulugh Beg among the great astronomers. - Vasily Vyatkin’s grave beside the dig — the man who found the observatory is buried right here. - The view from Kohak hill over northern Samarkand and the Afrasiab mound. ## A short history of Ulugh Beg and his observatory Ulugh Beg was Timur’s grandson and the son of **Shah Rukh**, who handed him Samarkand in 1409. He ruled the city for four decades and was far more interested in mathematics and astronomy than in conquest. Before the observatory he built the madrasa on the Registan, where astronomy was also taught. The observatory went up in the 1420s — sources give dates from 1424–1428 to 1428–1429. Inside the round tower stood a meridian arc with a radius of **about 40 metres**, roughly 70 cm to each degree. The mathematician Jamshid al-Kashi ran it first, then Qadi Zada al-Rumi. The resulting Zij-i Sultani, finished in 1437, listed about a thousand stars. Ulugh Beg was killed in 1449, at the instigation of his own son. His scholars, led by Ali Qushji, kept working for about twenty years; then the tower was abandoned and, in the late 16th century, taken apart for bricks. In 1908 Vasily Vyatkin traced it through an old document and dug out the arc. Ulugh Beg himself is buried in the [Gur-e-Amir](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/samarkand/gur-e-amir). ## How to get to the Ulugh Beg Observatory from the Registan 1. Easiest: a Yandex Go taxi from the Registan — about 4 km along Tashkent Road, roughly 10 minutes. The fare is shown in the app before you ride, and the driver drops you at the gate. 2. By bus: head north-east from the Registan to Toshkent yoʻli (Tashkent Road) and take a city bus towards Kohak hill. Guidebooks list different route numbers, so check the current ones in a maps app before you set off. 3. Get off at the Ulugʻbek rasadxonasi stop, about 2 minutes on foot from the entrance. Pay the fare with a contactless bank card or transport card — Samarkand is phasing out cash on buses. 4. On foot: about 50 minutes uphill along Tashkent Road, past Shah-i-Zinda and [Siab Bazaar](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/samarkand/siab-bazaar). On a summer afternoon it is a hot walk with little shade. 5. Buy your ticket at the gate, see the arc first and then the museum. On the way back, stop at Afrasiab and the [Tomb of Saint Daniel](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/samarkand/tomb-of-saint-daniel) — both are close by. ## Before you go: checklist - [ ] Som in small notes for the ticket - [ ] A taxi app on your phone - [ ] Water and a hat — little shade on the hill - [ ] Shoes with grip for the steps down to the arc - [ ] Read up on the history, or booked a guide - [ ] If it’s Sunday, checked that the museum is open ## Observatory, Ulugh Beg Madrasa or Afrasiab? | | Ulugh Beg Observatory | Ulugh Beg Madrasa (Registan) | Afrasiab Museum | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | What it is | Underground sextant arc and a small museum | Madrasa of 1417–1420 on the main square | Museum of the ancient city with 7th-century murals | | Link to Ulugh Beg | His scientific legacy | His first major building | The city before the Timurids | | Time needed | 45 min – 1 hour | Part of a Registan visit | About 1 hour | | Where | Kohak hill, 4 km from the centre | City centre | Next to the observatory | | Best for | History-of-science fans | Everyone | Archaeology fans | On a one-day visit the Registan and Shah-i-Zinda come first. On a second day, the observatory and Afrasiab make an easy half-day in the north of the city. ## Samarkand’s historic sites compared Samarkand’s historic sites rated by YesGo. - [Gur-e-Amir](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/samarkand/gur-e-amir) — YesGo score 59/100 (Yes, go) · 45 min · ≈ UZS 75,000, unofficial - [Registan](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/samarkand/registan) — YesGo score 57/100 (Yes, go) · 1 h 30 min · 100,000 UZS for foreign visitors - [Bibi-Khanym Mosque](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/samarkand/bibi-khanym-mosque) — YesGo score 49/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 40 min · ≈ UZS 75,000, unofficial - [Shah-i-Zinda](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/samarkand/shah-i-zinda) — YesGo score 46/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 15 min · ≈ 50,000 som for foreigners - [Amir Timur Monument](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/samarkand/samarkand-amir-timur-monument) — YesGo score 44/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 15 min · Free - [Tomb of Saint Daniel](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/samarkand/tomb-of-saint-daniel) — YesGo score 41/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 40 min · ≈ UZS 30,000–40,000, unofficial - [Ulugh Beg Observatory](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/samarkand/ulugh-beg-observatory) — YesGo score 40/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 45 min · UZS 40,000–75,000 (unofficial) - [Hazrat Khizr Mosque](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/samarkand/hazrat-khizr-mosque) — YesGo score 38/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 30 min · Free, donations welcome - [Afrasiab Museum](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/samarkand/afrasiab-museum) — YesGo score 35/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 15 min · ≈ UZS 40,000–80,000 (unofficial) ## Northern Samarkand in half a day The observatory, Daniel’s tomb by the river, ancient Afrasiab and the Shah-i-Zinda avenue of mausoleums, ending with lunch at the bazaar. YesGo sets the timings and transfers. 1. [Ulugh Beg Observatory](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/samarkand/ulugh-beg-observatory) — YesGo score 40/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 45 min · UZS 40,000–75,000 (unofficial) 2. [Tomb of Saint Daniel](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/samarkand/tomb-of-saint-daniel) — YesGo score 41/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 40 min · ≈ UZS 30,000–40,000, unofficial 3. [Afrasiab Museum](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/samarkand/afrasiab-museum) — YesGo score 35/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 15 min · ≈ UZS 40,000–80,000 (unofficial) 4. [Shah-i-Zinda](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/samarkand/shah-i-zinda) — YesGo score 46/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 15 min · ≈ 50,000 som for foreigners 5. [Siab Bazaar](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/samarkand/siab-bazaar) — YesGo score 43/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · Free entry ## Is a guided tour worth it here? More than at most Samarkand sights. The Registan speaks for itself; the observatory, without explanation, is a trench and a few display cases. A guide can show you how the sextant worked, who al-Kashi and Ali Qushji were, and how the star tables were worked out from readings on the arc. The observatory is usually part of a northern Samarkand tour with Afrasiab and Shah-i-Zinda, which works out cheaper than a taxi to each. Going alone? Read the history section above before you walk in — it’s enough to know what you’re looking at. ## Don’t mix it up The observatory is not the Ulugh Beg Madrasa: that stands on the Registan, and there is another Ulugh Beg Madrasa in Bukhara. Mirzo Ulugbek district and metro station are in Tashkent and have nothing to do with this site. ## Tips - Pair the observatory with Afrasiab and the Tomb of Saint Daniel — one short trip to the north of the city. - Come in the morning: there is almost no shade on the hill and the arc gets very hot by midday in summer. - Look at the tower model in the museum first, then go down to the arc — it makes far more sense that way. - Carry cash in som: the card terminal at the desk doesn’t always work. - Only one day in Samarkand? Save the observatory for next time and spend the hours at the Registan. - Visit the Gur-e-Amir as well — Ulugh Beg is buried there, and the story comes full circle. ## Questions ### How much is the Ulugh Beg Observatory entrance fee? There is no published official fare. Unofficially, foreigners pay UZS 40,000–75,000, covering the arc and the museum. Bring cash in som. ### What are the Ulugh Beg Observatory opening hours? Unofficially, daily from about 9:00 to 18:00, possibly shorter in winter. One guide lists the museum as closed on Sundays — check before you go. ### How do I get to the Ulugh Beg Observatory? A Yandex Go taxi from the Registan takes about 10 minutes. You can also take a city bus along Tashkent Road to the Ulugʻbek rasadxonasi stop, or walk for about 50 minutes. ### Is the Ulugh Beg Observatory worth visiting? Yes if you have more than a day in Samarkand or enjoy the history of science. With one day only, prioritise the Registan and Shah-i-Zinda. ### How long do you need at the observatory? 45 minutes to an hour for the arc and the museum, up to 1.5 hours with a guide, plus about 10 minutes by taxi each way from the centre. ### What is left of the Ulugh Beg Observatory? The underground part of the sextant arc, with a radius of about 40 metres, and the foundations of the round tower. The tower was taken apart for bricks in the late 16th century. ### Can I pay by card? Sometimes, but don’t count on it. Bring Uzbek som in small notes; on city buses, though, a contactless card is the easier option. ### When was the observatory built and who found it? In the 1420s, by Ulugh Beg, Timur’s grandson. The archaeologist Vasily Vyatkin found its remains in 1908 and is buried at the site. ### Where is the Ulugh Beg Observatory? On Kohak (Chupon-ota) hill by Tashkent Road, about 4 km north-east of the Registan in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. ## How we checked The Samarkand museum-reserve website would not load on 30.10.2026, so prices and hours are unofficial and marked as checking. Fares disagree: Saiga Tours (2025) gives UZS 40,000, the Eurasia Travel forum (December 2025 and January 2026) gives 75,000, so we show the range; Sputnik8’s figures contradict each other and are not used. Hours: Sputnik8 and other guides say 9:00–18:00 daily, Orexca says 9:00–17:00 with Sundays off, and Yandex Maps lists the grounds as open 24 hours — we show all of this. Sources disagree on the arc radius (40.04 m vs 40.21 m), the star count (992, about 1,000, 1,018) and the build dates (1424–1428 vs 1428–1429), so we round or give both. The museum’s founding year (1964 in Orexca and Tonkosti, 1970 in English Wikipedia) is left out. Bus route numbers differ between guidebooks, including Lonely Planet, so none are given. Distance from the Registan is measured from coordinates. ## Sources - English and Russian Wikipedia: Ulugh Beg Observatory; Wikidata Q608580 - MacTutor, University of St Andrews: Ulugh Beg biography - Orexca: Ulugbek Observatory; Memorial Museum of Mirzo Ulugbek - Eurasia Travel: Ulugbek Observatory; Eurasia Travel forum — Samarkand entry fees, 2025–2026 - Tonkosti: Ulugh Beg Observatory - Nomad's Land: Ulugbek Observatory Museum - Saiga Tours: Samarkand increases entry fees, 2025 - Kun.uz, 1 May 2026 — Samarkand public transport payment - Yandex Maps — Ulugʻbek rasadxonasi bus stop --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.